Learn about Pinelands plants at two special courses

Wednesday

Feb 29, 2012 at 12:01 AMFeb 29, 2012 at 12:56 PM

Despite its name, the Pine Barrens region is filled with flowers, shrubs and trees and plants far beyond the ubiquitous pitch pine tree. In fact, it has more globally unique species than anywhere else in New Jersey.

Beginners and experts alike can learn about Pinelands plants at two courses jointly sponsored by New Jersey Conservation Foundation and the Pinelands Preservation Alliance (PPA). The basic course is being held for the 10th consecutive year, while the advanced course is being taught for the first time.

"This year we truly have something for everyone who is interested in learning about Pinelands plants," said G. Russell Juelg, land steward and Pine Barrens educator for New Jersey Conservation Foundation, who will teach both courses.

Advanced Course

The new "Special Pinelands Advanced Course" will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month from March through November, starting on March 13. Classes will be held at the PPA headquarters at 17 Pemberton Road in Southampton N.J., and field work will be conducted at New Jersey Conservation Foundation's Franklin Parker Preserve in Woodland Township.

Registration is now open, and the deadline is March 9. The course fee is $150, payable in advance, and registration is limited to 30 students. To register, contact Carol Banhart at carol@njconservation.org.

Scholarships for qualified applicants are available by contacting Becky Free, Director of Philanthropy for PPA, at becky@pinelandsalliance.org or by mail at 17 Pemberton Rd., Southampton, N.J., 08808. Applicants should include their full name, mailing address, email address, telephone number and reason for seeking a scholarship.

According to Juelg, the course is geared toward professionals and advanced amateurs. Each participant will be assigned a 5,000-square-foot plot within the Franklin Parker Preserve to inventory and study. Course attendees will have the opportunity to collaborate on plant identities, field survey protocols and techniques for preparation of voucher specimens.

Basic Plant Course

The basic course, "Fundamentals of Pinelands Field Botany and Vegetation Communities," will be offered as a 10-week course this summer. The course will include a classroom lecture at PPA headquarters from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. each Thursday from May 31 through Aug. 2, plus weekend field trips to the Franklin Parker Preserve.

Juelg said the course will appeal to those who enjoy the distinctive flora of the Pine Barrens and want to gain a deeper understanding. Using popular field guides and technical manuals, the course will focus on how to identify plants in the wild. Special attention will be paid to rarities.

"We will get familiar with essential botanical concepts and terms and apply that understanding to live and preserved plant specimens," Juelg said. "We will pay most attention to the most prominent plant families of the Pinelands region. By the end of the course, you should be able to identify the great majority of the plants you encounter in the Pinelands."

The basic course is limited to 30 participants. The cost is $150, and must be paid in advance. To register, contact Carol Banhart at carol@njconservation.org or 908-234-1225. Scholarships are also available for this course; contact Becky Free at PPA at becky@pinelandsalliance.org.

The James C. Rutherford Jr. Scholarship was established with contributions made to PPA in memory of Jim Rutherford, a local biologist who was an ardent conservationist, an enthusiastic student of all facets of Pine Barrens ecology, and an attendee of the Special Pinelands Plants courses in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

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